Driving rope of large-sized umbrella

ABSTRACT

An umbrella includes a center post having an upper end to which a crown is mounted. A number of ribs are pivoted to the crown and radially extend from the crown. A runner is movably mounted to the center post. A stretcher is mounted between the runner and each rib by having ends pivoted to the runner and the rib. A canopy is attached to and supported by the ribs. An opening/closing device includes a reel rotatably mounted in to the center post and a crank arm coupled to the reel for manually rotating the reel. A length of rope has first and second sections respectively fixed to the reel and the runner whereby by rotating the reel, the rope is wound around the reel, causing the runner to move toward the crown and driving the stretchers to expand the ribs and the canopy and thus opening the umbrella. The first and second sections of the rope have first and second diameters respectively, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter. The large first diameter helps to quickly increase the outside diameter of the reel when it is wound around the reel, thereby decreasing the force required to operate the crank for winding the rope and thus opening the umbrella.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a large-sizedumbrella, and in particular to a driving rope of rope-controlledlarge-sized umbrellas.

[0003] 2. The Related Art

[0004] Large-sized umbrellas are widely used in a variety ofapplications, such as beach umbrellas and garden umbrellas. FIGS. 1 and2 of the attached drawings show a conventional large-sized umbrella,comprising, in general, an upright center post 10 having a lower endmounted to or securely supported on the ground and an upper end to whicha crown 12 is fixed, a plurality of ribs 13 pivoted to the crown 12 andradially extending from the crown 12, a runner 11 slidably mounted tothe post 10 and a plurality of stretchers 14 arranged between andpivoted to the ribs 13 and the runner 11. When the runner 11 is movedtoward the crown 12, the ribs 13 are forced to open and expanding aflexible canopy 15 attached thereto. When the runner 11 is moved awayfrom the crown 12, the umbrella is closed.

[0005] A rope based opening/closing device 16 is incorporated in thelarge-sized umbrella for controlling and driving the runner 11 toopen/close the umbrella. The rope based opening/closing device 16comprises a reel (not shown) for winding/unwinding a rope 18 to drivethe runner 11 along the center post 10. A crank arm 17 is coupled to thereel for manual rotation of the reel to wind and/or unwind the rope 18.

[0006] The rope that is employed in the conventional opening/closingdevice is of uniform cross section. Namely it has the same diameterthroughout the whole length thereof. To open the umbrella, an operatormust apply a substantial amount of force to the crank arm 17 in order toovercome the gravity of the canopy 15. This, of course, causes certainproblems to people that is not strong to operate the crank arm 17, andmay sometimes lead to damage to the operator. In addition, such a greatamount of force may cause breaking of the rope.

[0007] Thus, it desired to have a large-sized umbrella having anopening/closing device having no such deficiencies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a large-sizedumbrella comprising an opening/closing device having a driving ropecomprised of multiple sections of different diameters.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide alarge-sized umbrella that is easy to operate.

[0010] A further object of the present invention is to provide alarge-sized umbrella that is safe to the operator.

[0011] To achieve the above objects, in accordance with the presentinvention, there is provided an umbrella comprising a center post havingan upper end to which a crown is mounted. A number of ribs are pivotedto the crown and radially extend from the crown. A runner is movablymounted to the center post. A stretcher is mounted between the runnerand each rib by having ends pivoted to the runner and the rib. A canopyis attached to and supported by the ribs. An opening/closing devicecomprises a reel rotatably mounted in an interior space defined in therunner and a crank located outside the runner and coupled to the reelfor manually rotating the reel. A length of rope has first and secondends respectively fixed to the reel and the crown whereby by rotatingthe reel, the rope is wound around the reel, causing the runner to movetoward the crown and driving the stretchers to expand the ribs and thecanopy and thus opening the umbrella. The first and second sections ofthe rope have first and second diameters respectively, the firstdiameter being greater than the second diameter. The large firstdiameter helps to quickly increase the outside diameter of the reel whenit is wound around the reel, thereby decreasing the force required tooperate the crank for winding the rope and thus opening the umbrella.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart by reading the following description of preferred embodimentsthereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional large-sizedumbrella in an open condition;

[0014]FIG. 2 is another side elevational view of the conventionallarge-sized umbrella in a closed condition;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a large-sizedumbrella constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of thepresent invention, showing in detail an opening/closing device of theumbrella; and

[0016]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a large-sizedumbrella constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of thepresent invention, showing in detail an opening/closing device of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 3, anumbrella constructed in accordance with the present invention comprisesan umbrella frame (not labeled) comprising a center post 10 along whicha runner 11 is movable. A number of stretchers 14 are pivoted to therunner 11 and further coupled to ribs (not shown) to drive a canopy (notshown) supported on the ribs.

[0018] The umbrella comprises an opening/closing device 16 comprising areel 19 rotatably mounted to and transversely extending through thecenter post 10. A crank arm 17 is coupled to the reel 19 for rotation ofthe reel 19. A length of rope 20 has a first section 21 of a firstdiameter and a second section 22 of a second diameter, the seconddiameter being smaller than the first diameter. An end of the firstsection 21 is attached to the reel 19 and an end of the second section22 is attached to the runner 11. When the reel 19 rotates in a firstdirection, the first section 21 of the rope 20 is wound around the reel19 and the second section 22 drives the runner 11 toward the crown toopen the umbrella. When the reel 22 rotates in a reversed seconddirection, the first section 21 of the rope 20 is unwound from the reel19 and allowing the second section 22 to release the runner 11 away fromthe crown for closing the umbrella.

[0019] In opening the umbrella, the first section 21 of the rope 20,which has a large diameter, is wound around the reel 19. The largediameter helps to quickly increase an outside diameter of the reel 19thereby decreasing the force required to manually rotate the reel 19.This allows the operator to open the umbrella easily with less force.

[0020] The rope 20 that has two sections 21, 22 of different diameterscan be made by fitting a tubular member over a portion of a rope ofuniform diameter. For example and as shown in FIG. 3, the rope 20 mayhas an original diameter corresponding to the small, second diameter ofthe second section 22. A tubular member having an inside diametersubstantially corresponding to the second diameter and an outer diameteridentical to the first diameter is fit over the rope 20 thereby formingthe first section 21 that has the first diameter.

[0021] Another example of the rope is shown in FIG. 4 and is designatedwith reference numeral 30. The rope 30 is made by forming layers ofdifferent thickness over an original rope that has initially the samediameter whereby a large diameter section 31 and a small diametersection 32 are respectively formed on opposite ends of the rope 30.Similarly, the large diameter section 31 is attached to the reel 19 andthe small diameter section 32 is attached to the runner 22.

[0022] In the embodiments illustrated, the center post 10 is a tubularmember. The rope 20, 30 that is made in accordance with the presentinvention is generally arranged inside and partially extends through thecenter post 10 thereby not causing any negative influence on the outsideappearance of the umbrella. In addition, the manufacturing of the rope20, 30 only adds a small portion of extra cost thereby allowing forexcellent market competition.

[0023] Although the present invention has been described with referenceto the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled inthe art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention which is intended tobe defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An umbrella comprising: a center post; a runnermovable along the center post for opening/closing a canopy; and anopening/closing device comprising: a reel rotatably mounted to thecenter post, and a length of a rope comprised of first and secondsections having first and second diameters respectively, the firstdiameter being greater than the second diameter, the first section beingattached to the reel to be would thereon and the second section beingattached to the runner whereby by winding the first section around thereel, the rope driving the runner to move along the center post.
 2. Theumbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein the center post comprises atubular member through which the rope partially extends.
 3. The umbrellaas claimed in claim 1, wherein the first section of the rope comprises atubular member having an outside diameter substantially corresponding tothe first diameter, the tubular member being fit over the rope to formthe first section.
 4. The umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein therope is comprised of coating layers, the coating layer of the firstsection having a thickness greater than a thickness of the coating layerof the second section.